Chapter 5 - Breach of Contract (CitC)
"So, when do we leave, Clubbar?" Tubba turned to ask the gnarled old Clubba after releasing Shazam. The snifit groaned in agony, likely suffering cracked ribs from Tubba's bear hug. Yoshi stood in the corner, his mouth open. Chubba continued sleeping and clutching his moneybags in his cage-bed, completely unbothered by the yelling and shrieking that was Tubba's anger. Clubbar shrugged. "I was hoping to spend the night here, but we won't tread on Chubba's hospitality any longer than he wants us to." Clubbar's eyes raked over Chubba, now hugging the moneybag and drooling over it. Was that guilt Tubba saw reflected in those old, omniscient eyes? Closing his mouth, Yoshi strode over to Tubba and Clubbar, the battlers still standing the doorway. The dinosaur's limbs were rigid with contorted fury. "You all can't leave. How will I make money to fuel my underground dru- railroad?" Out in the hall, Xavier the Bandit slapped a hand against his mask, nearly poking himself in the eye through the ever-growing chip in his mask. "Glitzville floats, Yoshi. We know you have a drug cartel. Or at least, I do. I've spent enough time scheming to kill Chubba." "And failing every time," came the dry voice of Skeloetta behind him. "Shut up." Waving Xavier's concerns off with a wave of his hand, Tubba turned back to Chubba's bed. "Should we wake him up and ask him?" "I'd just like to pipe in and say that's a HORRIBLE IDEA Dubstepubba." "Thanks, Yoshi. Why?" Xavier ran into the room from the hallway, shoving other battlers aside, ignoring their annoyance. He also ignored Shazam's pained screech as he trod on the snifit, still lying on the floor in agony. "I can answer that!" A grin spread across the bandit's face, causing yet another piece of plastic to fall off his mask. "So, when you wake up Chubba from a deep sleep, like he's in now, he gets really angry. Like, REALLY angry. It's actually quite disturbing." "I'd like to see that," Lukki remarked from his position in the hallway next to Parin. "I really would." "I've lived with my brother for almost twenty-four years and he's never freaked out that way." Tubba shrugged, and began walking toward Chubba's cage-bed, where his brother was now rolling over with the money bag firmly clasped in left hand. Yoshi barred his way. The green dinosaur's eyes showed trepidation as Tubba tried to push past him. "Martian X, you have to think like a competent person for once! I know it's difficult to reach the level of glory that is Yoshi, I mean, Yoshi's so strong, Yoshi's so smart, but that's not the point! Chubba thinks everyone's after his money in his dreams." Tubba snorted. Pushing Yoshi aside, he walked up to the cagebed. The lock on the door was unlocked, so he pulled it open. His brother still did not stir, now grabbing another moneybag at his side in his right hand. Going close to Chubba, Tubba tapped him three times on the teal scales on his shoulder. Absolute chaos erupted. Chubba leapt to his feet, both moneybags in his hand. His eyes opened, the irises red and dilated, and red light bathed everyone in the room from the light above Chubba's bed. Chubba glared around the cagebed, before his terrifying eyes settled on Tubba, swinging his moneybags at his brother. Not in the mood to get slaughtered by a moneybag-wielding freak, Tubba somersaulted out of the way and toward the TV in the cagebed. Chubba, disoriented and slow from just getting up, lumbered past him. Chubba was gnashing his teeth together and giving tiny bellows, causing the battlers and Clubbar to take a step back. Yoshi stood stock-still, his eyes wide in fear. Chubba, having noticed Tubba had dodged him, immediately came at him again with the moneybags in his hand again. This time, Tubba, holding his club, swung with all his might. The club contacted Chubba squarely on the head, sending him flying down and the moneybags out of his hands. Coins clattered all over Chubba as he landed on his shell, looking up at Tubba. Sporting a fresh teal lump on his head, Chubba got to his feet. His irises were no longer red or dilated, but they were narrowed and angry. "There was no need to hit that hard!" Chubba bellowed, "that's more coins from you!" "I don't want to give you coins, Chubba." Tubba snorted, sidestepping his brother. Exiting the cage bed and joining Clubbar and the battlers outside, Chubba followed him, one hand on the lump on his head. "Breach of contract, Tubba!" Chubba snarled, "it's in the contract you have to give me coins anytime I please!" Tubba slammed his club's wooden end into the ground. "I don't care about that contract." "Breach of contract, everyone!" Chubba continued, noticing all the battlers inside the room. "You're not supposed to be in my room! You give me coins!" The battlers stood resolutely. "Breach of contract! You have to do what I want!" Chubba shouted, spittle flying everywhere, froth beginning to form at the end of his fat lips. Clubbar took a step forward. Instantly, Chubba recoiled, surprised. "Clubbar?" Chubba asked, a note of triumph in voice. Clubbar nodded, and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, Chubba began leaping around in joy. "I proved to you, Clubbar! I proved it! I proved to you I am the richest person alive! Last month I passed Gill Bates in income!" "Yes. It's good to see you're putting your talents to such..." Clubbar let his eyes sweep over the battlers, "good use..." Again, Tubba could've sworn he saw the ghost of guilt flash across the Clubba Kingdom's Commander of the Armies' eyes. Pacing to between the two Clubbas he had known since childhood, Tubba interrupted them. "Look, we don't have time for this. Chubba, we're leaving to go back to the Clubba Kingdom, are you coming or staying?" "Breach of contract! You can't leave unless I say so!" "Didn't I tell you?!" Tubba roared, firing up. "I. Don't. Care. About. Your. Contract!" "Then I'll sue you in court!" "What court are you using? The BeanBean one! That's the one used in Rogueport! Who is at war with OUR Kingdom? THE BEANBEAN KINGDOM! I could care less!" Spinning away from his brother, Tubba stormed to the door, gesturing for Clubbar to follow him. As he began to push his way through the battlers back into the hallway, Chubba's voice followed him. "They won't let you back. Not after what you did to Bubba." Ignoring this proclamation, Tubba pushed his way past Gonzales and into the hall.